With sticks & shields, Barsana celebrates Lathmar Holi

While the rest of India is still waiting to celebrate Holi, festivities were in full swing in Mathura, Vrindavan and nearby areas.

Holi celebrations hit their peak at Barsana’s Rangeeli Gali when lathi-clad women from the town came down on men from nearby Nandgaon village on the occasion of Lathmar Holi. Wearing headgear, the men held shields to protect themselves from the blows.

On Monday, ‘hurriyare’ (Holi revelers) from Nandgaon (the village of Lord Krishna) reached Barsana (the village of Radha) to celebrate this unique tradition of Braj. (HT)

While the rest of India is still waiting to celebrate Holi, festivities were in full swing in Mathura, Vrindavan and nearby areas. On Monday, ‘hurriyare’ (Holi revelers) from Nandgaon (the village of Lord Krishna) reached Barsana (the village of Radha) to celebrate this unique tradition of Braj.

“Forty-day festivities of Holi begin on ‘Basant Panchami’. Temples and houses witness ‘Holi gayan’ (singing Holi songs) and initially it is Holi with ‘gulal’ (colour powder), which transforms into celebrations with coloured water after ‘Rangbharni Ekadashi’,” stated Padma Shri Mohan Swaroop Bhatia, a Braj literature expert.

At Barsana, Holi revelers from Nandgaon sang and danced as women dressed as Gopi wielded ‘lathi’. Visitors from abroad were also part of the celebrations and were amused by the proceedings as those participating raised slogans of ‘Radha Rani Ki Jai’.

The district administration and police had tightened security after a huge crowd turned up at Radha Rani Temple in Barsana on the occasion of ‘Laddoo Holi’ on Sunday. Many were injured when devotees raced to grab the laddoos. The injured were attended by doctors at a health camp set up on the temple premises. As such, elaborate arrangements were made for Lathmar Holi at Barsana on Monday.

PIC Lathmar Holi underway at Barsana in Mathura on Monday. Photo HT